This background section is provided for the purpose of generally describing the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventor(s), to the extent the work is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
As real estate utilization increases and offices become more densely packed, speech noise is becoming an increasingly challenging problem. Overheard intelligible speech decreases productivity, speech privacy, and comfort.
Sound masking—the introduction of constant background noise in order to reduce speech intelligibility, increase speech privacy, and increase acoustical comfort—is increasingly being incorporated into offices as a solution. Sound masking generally relies on broadband sound such as filtered pink noise played by loudspeakers that may be located for example in the ceiling plenum.
Individuals have varying preferences with respect to masking sound level, type, and frequency, but existing sound masking systems cannot be personalized, and there are many cases in which users wish to be able to work productively without “walling themselves off” using a headset or headphones. And conventional loudspeaker sound masking systems cannot be adjusted based on a given individual's preferences without offending the preferences of others.